A resident walks by a new seawall erected in the Ogatsu district of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture Rising almost three stories high and snaking 3 kilometers along the coastline, a seawall fortress guarding the Ogatsu district here today restricts views of the sea.
The seawall is so massive and overwhelming that standing next to it blocks all sense of the ocean on the other side.
But instead of offering peace of mind to residents, Yorio Takahashi, 53, said the protective structure dealt a death blow to his beloved seaside community.